Wall heater extension

Abstract

Presented is a wall heater or furnace extension structure for mounting in the space between a conventional wall furnace or heater and the ceiling of the room in which the wall furnace or heater are installed. The wall material normally found in this area of the wall is removed to expose the flue connected to the fire-box of the furnace or heater. The furnace extension structure is mounted on the wall so as to enclose the flue, draw air from the room into the space surrounding the flue, and then discharge the heated air back into the room from which it emanated.

I claim: 
     
       1. As an article of manufacture, a wall heater extension adapted to be mounted on a wall between a conventional wall-mounted gas-fired wall heater and a room ceiling thereabove and adapted to heat the air in the room in which it is installed and effective for drawing heat energy from a flue carrying hot products of combustion from the gas-fired wall heater and distributing such heat energy into the room to be heated by the wall heater, said article of manufacture comprising: a) a sheetmetal housing extension having front and side plates forming an enclosure about the flue when installed between a wall heater and the ceiling of the room in which the wall heater is installed, and   b) means on the sheetmetal housing extension for drawing air from the room into the housing extension so as to surround and be heated by the hot flue and then discharged back into the room from which it emanated, whereby the heating efficiency of the wall heater with which the housing extension is cooperatively associated is increased.   
     
     
       2. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for admitting room air into the space surrounding the flue comprises a multiplicity of louvered slots formed in the side plates of the sheetmetal housing extension. 
     
     
       3. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 2, wherein one of said side plates is provided with a hinge structure for mounting the wall heater extension to the wall and in position when closed to enclose an associated flue rising from the conventional wall heater, and selectively pivotally openable to enable inspection of the wall heater and flue installation. 
     
     
       4. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1, wherein means are provided associated with one of said side plates for releasably retaining the wall heater housing extension in a closed condition to form an enclosure about the flue above the wall heater. 
     
     
       5. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one trim member is provided for selective attachment to the wall heater extension to seal the space therebetween and a wall heater above which the wall heater extension is mounted and between the associated ceiling of the room and the wall heater extension. 
     
     
       6. In combination, a primary wall furnace of the gas-fired type having a fire-box within which hot products of combustion are generated when the furnace is operating and a flue connected to the fire-box and extending above the wall furnace for conduction of hot products of combustion out of the fire-box and into the atmosphere and adapted when operating to heat a room in which it is installed, and a wall furnace auxiliary structure independently mounted in association with the wall furnace flue and adapted to draw air from the room to be heated into the space surrounding the flue to thereby draw heat energy by convection from the flue and distribute such heat energy into the room to be heated. 
     
     
       7. The combination according to claim 6, in which said room in which said wall furnace is installed has a ceiling spaced above the wall furnace, and said wall furnace auxiliary structure is mounted between the wall furnace and the ceiling. 
     
     
       8. The combination according to claim 7, whereinsaid wall furnace auxiliary structure includes front and side plates forming an enclosure about the flue when installed between the wall furnace and the ceiling of the room to be heated. 
     
     
       9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein said wall furnace auxiliary structure includes means for drawing air by convection into the space enclosed by said front and side plates and through which space said flue traverses, and means for discharging into the room to be heated hot air heated by said flue and drawn from said space enclosed by said front and side plates. 
     
     
       10. The combination according to claim 9, wherein said means for admitting room air into said space enclosed by said wall furnace extension structure and discharging heated air therefrom comprises a multiplicity of louvered slots formed in the side and front plates of the wall furnace auxiliary structure. 
     
     
       11. The combination according to claim 9, wherein at least one trim membr is provided for selective attachment to the wall furnace auxiliary structure to seal the space therebetween and a wall furnace above which the wall furnace auxiliary structure is mounted and between the associated ceiling of the room and the wall furnace auxiliary structure. 
     
     
       12. In combination, a wall furnace of the gas-fired type having a fire-box within which hot products of combustion are generated when the furnace is operating and a flue connected to the fire-box for conduction of hot products of combustion out of the fire-box and into the atmosphere, a wall furnace extension structure mounted in association with the wall furnace flue and adapted to draw air from the room to be heated into the space surrounding the flue to thereby draw heat energy by convection from the flue and distribute such heat energy into the room to be heated, said room having a floor, at least one wall on which said wall furnace is adapted to be installed, a ceiling spaced above the wall furnace, said wall furnace extension structure being mounted on said at least one wall between the wall furnace and the ceiling, said wall furnace extension structure including front and side plates forming an enclosure about the flue when installed between the wall furnace and the ceiling of the room to be heated, said wall furnace extension structure including means for drawing air by convection into the space enclosed by said front and side plates and through which space said flue traverses, means for discharging into the room to be heated air heated by said flue and drawn from said space enclosed by said front and side plates, one of said side plates of said wall furnace extension structure being provided with a hinge structure for pivotally mounting the wall furnace extension structure above said wall furnace. 
     
     
       13. The combination according to claim 12, wherein means are provided associated with one of said side plates for releasably retaining the wall heater housing extension structure in a closed condition to form an enclosure about the flue above the wall heater. 
     
     
       14. The combination according to claim 12, wherein at least one trim member is provided for selective attachment to the wall heater extension structure to seal the space between the wall heater above which the wall heater extension structure is mounted and the associated ceiling of the room in which the wall heater and wall heater extension structure are installed. 
     
     
       15. The combination according to claim 12, wherein said means for admitting room air into said space enclosed by said wall furnace extension structure and discharging heated air therefrom comprises a multiplicity of louvered slots formed in the side and front plates of the wall furnace extension structure.